Yarmouth police charge man in alleged attack on Natural Resources officer

YARMOUTH – On Veterans Day Friday, November 11, 2016 at approximately 11:03AM Yarmouth Natural Resource Officer Timothy Parsons was on patrol in a fully marked Law Enforcement vehicle and in full uniform and dispatched to the hospital bogs on behalf of Cape Cod Hospital Security for the well-being check of an individual reportedly walking through the trails, falling down continually, and possibly in some sort of distress.

Officer Parsons entered the bogs on Cleveland Way and walked toward Trenton and Rosetta Streets. As he rounded a turn in the trail, Officer Parsons observed a shirtless male identified as Darren Patrick Devine, 25, wearing grey sweatpants lying face down in an open field area of the bogs in the prone position.

Officer Parsons asked the man if he was okay. The man began questioning Officer Parsons in a defiant manner. He tensed his muscles and flipped his body around. The man refused to cooperate and then circled around him. He refused additional commands with clenched fists then grabbed his belongings and took off in a full sprint down the trail toward Trenton Street.

Officer Parsons followed him and ordered him to stop. Approximately 20 yards down the trail the suspect abruptly stopped and swung around in the middle of the trail and took a fighting posture. The man then attacked Officer Parsons, grabbed his radio, and then grabbed at his holstered firearm.

Officers Parsons radioed for help and continued to fight off the attacker and stop him from obtaining his firearm. The suspect continued to attack, ripped off and stole his badge, and then ran off further into the bogs.

Yarmouth Police Department Patrol Officers immediately responded to the area. While in route, they could overhear on the radio Officer Parsons being attacked and fighting with the suspect

Yarmouth Police Department K9 Patrol Officer Mike Kramer arrived and deployed his police dog Satu from the back of his cruiser. K9 Satu immediately showed a marked change in behavior and alerted. As K9 Satu pulled forward, Officer Kramer observed a subject come out from behind the bushes on Rosetta Street matching the description wearing dirty sweat pants, no shoes, and no shirt.

For safety reasons, Officer Kramer ordered the subject to the ground at gunpoint. He did not immediately comply. Yarmouth Police Department Patrol Officer Paul Mellett arrived and the officers were able to overcome the suspect and take him in to custody.

The suspect was held on $5,000 cash bail at Yarmouth Police Department Headquarters over the weekend and was transported to the Barnstable District Court this morning for arraignment.

The Yarmouth Police Department commends the decisive and professional actions of Natural Resource Officer Parsons and Yarmouth Police Officers Kramer and Mellet and K9 Satu.

Information provided by Yarmouth Police